Loom-picker.



L. M- BOWES.

l LOOM PIOKBB. APPLIUATION FILED un. 15, 190s.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

THE NORRLS PETERS co.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

'UNITED ,STATES 'PAENT FFIQFL.

LoeM-Prciri?a.v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application lred January 15, 1908. Serial No. 410,876.

To all 'whom it may concern.'-

Be it known that I, Louis M. Bowns, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and

resident of Winthrop, county of Suffolk, and

State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Loom-Pickers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to pickers for use in looms for weaving, and it has for its object the production of a picker so constructed that the im act member, which engages the tip of the s uttle, can be easily and quickly renewed from time to time as it becomes worn, and whereby the maintenance cost due to the employment ofthe expensive leather pickers now in very extended use may be very greatly reduced.

The leather picker nowv in general use` is made of strips or plies of heavy leather of high grade, cemented and compressed together to form an elongated block, having an enlarged impact portion and suitably shaped to be held in place on the pickerestick by a loop or band. When the enlarged impact portion of such a picker becomes worn the picker must be discarded, and as such wear is relatively rapid the item for pickers in a good sized weaving mill is high, dueto the high cost of the leather used in the manufacture of the picker.

In my. present, invention the picker comprises a supportingV or holding member, preferably made of sheet metal and ada ted to be permanently attached to the pic rerstick, and an impact member of about the size of the impact portion of the usual leather picker, held seated on the supporting member by simple and eilcient automatically acting locking means.

The impact member, by reason of its reduced dimensions, can be made of scrap leather of a thoroughly suitable grade, but at a very small cost, and when one impact member becomes too much worn for further use it can be instantly removed from the suppdorting member and a new one substitute By making the supporting memberslofi metal they can be made at` a small cost' initially and their life is practically unlim* ited, as they are not subjected to wear, and after the initial attachment of a pair l' to the picker-sticks of a loom they are not removed therefrom except for breakage of the stick or accidental injury to the memberitself, new impact members being inserted as required.

I prefer to make the impact member of superposed plies of the scrap leather, cemented together and compressed, to form a stiff and sufficiently hard block to resist the constant blows of the point or tip of the shuttle, the block being shaped to seat upon the su porting member or casing and be engaged y locking means thereon.

he various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure V1 is a side elevation of a loompicker embodying one form of myinvention, showing the su porting member attached to the picker-stiel; Vof a loom and with the impact member in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the supporting member or casing, the impact member being indicated only by dotted lines g Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the picker taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, but showing the impact member locked in position; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of locking means for the impact member Fig. 5`is a longitudinal section on thc line 5-5, Fig. 4, with the impact member locked in position 5 Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating a modification of the locking means.

In carrying out my invention I take suitable sheet metal, such as mild steel, and subject 'the same to the action of suitable dies to form a supporting member or casing presenting an elongated, iiat body B, narrow at its upper and lower ends, as at 2, 3, and broadcned between such narrow portions at 4, Figs. 2 and 4, to constitute thereat the bottom of a pocket. The edge of the part 2 is upturned to form a flange shaped to present a laterally extended head 5, and a narrow neck 6, the ends of the ange at the base .thereof being made to diverge at 7, to constitute a guide forming the upper end of the pocket. A flange is formed on the sides and lower end of the part 3 of the body, as at 8, to provide an elongated socket 9 open at its upper end and constituting thereat a guide for the lower portion of the impact member, as will be described.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the flat body B oin the supporting member or casing rests squarely upon the inner 'face ol" the picker-stick l), being permanently attached tlioreto by a loop or strap p secured in any suitable manner, by screw px, to thc picker-stick and embracing the neck 6 bcween the head 5 and the guide 7, 7. The laterally enlarged head rests upon the upper edge oi.: the loop p and prevents downward displacement oi the casing, while the divergent portions 7 of the llange prevent any lifting thereof. ln the open pocket formed by the guides and the part L1 oic the body B l insert the impact member inl, preferably formed or superposed plies et leather cemented together and compressed, the upper end oi the said member being bevel-cd at m to tit into and against the guide 7, 7 and its lower end being also beveled, as at in', Fig. 1, and prolonged to 'form a tail in? which enters the guide l'ormed by the upper end ot the socket 9. By so shaping the impact member it can be inserted in the pocket ol the casing by a direct movement, without interfering with the holding strap p, will be manifest 'from an inspection ol Fig. 1.

1n order to retain the impact member seated in place l have provided locking means which automatically engage said member when inserted in the pocket, the guides laterally positioning the impact member on the casing. iciie ng to Figs. 2 and 3 l have shown leaf-spring 10 seated within thel cad and neck and secured by rivet 1 1, the lower end of the spring being upturned at 12 and provided with downward bend 13, the 'tree end of the spring being upwardly inclined, at 14, the bend 13 being the only part of the spring exposed below the stra i p when the casing is attached to the piclrer stick. A transverse notch mi is made in the upper end of the impact member M, see Fig. 3, into which the bend 13 snaps when said member is inserted in the pocket, the inclined part 14 ot the spring being engaged by the impact member zs it is inserted, to flex the spring` readily at such time. Between the parallel sidcs ot' the flange S l insert and secure a housing 15 in the socket 9, to support a longitudinally movable latch 1G, controlled by a spring 17 and having a short pin 18 extended through a slot 19 in the top of the housing. The pin limits longitudinal movement ot the latch, prevents rotation thereof, and affords means whereby said latch may be retracted to release the impact member. The upper end ci the latch is beveled at 20, and projects into the upper end oi' the socket 9, to engage and enter a transverse notch m4 in the lower end of the tail m2 oi' the impact member, the bottom of the tail striking the beveled end oi' the latch to retract it when the im )act member is inserted in the casing, as wil be obvious.

To insert the member )l it is grasped by the lingers of thc operator and pushed dircetly into the pocket, the locking devices yielding` or being retracted momentarily until 'the bend 11% snaps into thc notch nl and the latch 11i snaps into thc notch m, securely locking the impact mcmbcr in place. The locking means engage said member bclo f' its impact surface or -racc, as will bc seen g. il, and well out o'l' the wa f' oiz t ie striking point ol' the shuttle at any t ,so that the impact meinbercan be worn as dceply `s desircd without inter- 'iierenco with thc locking means. 'l`o remove the impact member the spring-latch 11i is rctracted by menno oi' the lpin 1S, and thc impact member can then bc witlnlrzrwn by o straight outward pull, thc cud 12 oi' thc leal'- spring 10 yielding i'or the purpose. rl`hc insertion or r:\,.noval oi" the impact member is but the work oi a. moment, so that there is practically no loss o'l` production on thc loom by so doing.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 33 thc [lange forming the head and noch of the casing is ol' greater depth than the llangc S at the toot, in order to give greater strength and stillness where needed, at the point of attachment to the picker-stick and at the upper part o1' thc impact member.

ln Figs. 4 and 5 thc spring-latch 11i and its housing in the foot of the casing is the same as shown in Figs. 1 to 2%, the. lusing itscll'V bcing precisely the same, but instead oll thc upper locking device l. have provided a sccond spring-latch, 21, mounted in a housing secured in the noch 6 and provided with a spring 23, the latch also having :i pin 2l cxtended through a slot 25 in the housing. 'l`hc only change reouired in the impact member MX is the location and shape of thc notch mi in its upper end, to properly coi'ipcrnte. with the end of the latch 21 which nornmlly projects into the space between the guide portions 7 of the liango forming thc ncclf..

To remove theimpac` member lorh latches 16 and 21 are retracted by means o` their pins 1S and 24, and thc impact member d` is thereby released and can be lifted ont, thc insertion of said member being cl'l'ccted b v pushing it into place, the latches retracting until thel notches nifl and nr" are brought opposite their beveled ends.

ln Fig. 6 l have shown another modilicntion of the locking means, a transverse lixcd abutment, shown as a cross-bar 21S is cxtended across the casing at the base ot the neck, and a sining-latch 27, such as before described, is mounted in the socket S) at thc foot of the casing. The housing 2S has ils upper end 2) concaved on an arc having thc abutment 26 as its center, the lower cnd oi' the impact member M having n transverse notch in. to receive the latch. At its upper end the member M is cut away to lcavc :l

transverse shoulder m7 which extends under the abutment, as shown, the adjacent corner of the impact member being'cut away at m8.

To insert the member M `it is tipped to insert the shoulder m7 under the abutment and then swung down about the abutment as a center, until the latch 27 snaps into the notch m, the concaved end 29 of the housingpermitting such swinging movement. When removing the impact member the reverse movement is effected after the latch has been retracted. i

The construction of the casing B is the same in all the different cases,-wherein the locking means is modified, and the ready removal and insertion of the impact member, and its secure 'locking in place is provided lor irrespective of the variations in the locking devices. f

My invention `is not restricted Vto Vthe precise construction and arrangement herein shown and described, as the saine may be modified orvaried in different particulars by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the following` claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- f 4 1. A loom-picker comprising a metallic casing having a laterally enlarged head and a pocket below the head, a non-metallic impact member removably seated in the pocket and spring-controlled means to lock said member in the pocket. 2. A loom-picker comprising ametallic casing adapted to be attached to a picker* stick and provided with a pocket, a removable non-metallic impact member, and means mounted on the casing to automatically lock said member seated in the pocket when in* serted therein.

3. A loom-picker comprising a metallic casing adapte to be attached to a pickerstick and provided with a pocket, a removable non-metallic impact member, and locking devices at the upper and lower ends of the pocket to automatically engage adjacent portions of the impact member and hold the same seated in the pocket.

.4. A loom-picker comprising a metallic casing adapted to be attached to a ickerstick, an impact member adapted to e ap# plied to or removed from the casing while the latter is in its operative position, and manually released means on the casing to automatically lock the impact member in position when applied to the casing.

5. A loom-picker comprising a metallic support adapted to be permanently attached to a picker-stick, a non-metallic impact member, and spring-controlled means on the support to engage and lock said member thereto.

6. A loom-picker comprising a metallic support adapted to be permanently attached to a picker-stick, oppositely located guides thereon, a non-metallic impact member adapted to seat upon the support between the guides, and automatically acting, manually retractedl locking means on the support Vto engage and normally retain the impact member in operative position between the guides, Y ,Y

f7; 'A loom-picker Vcomprising a metallic support adapted to be permanently attached to a picker-stick, oppositely located guides thereon, a non-metallic impact member adapted to seat upon the support between the guides, and means, including a manually retracted spring latch, to engage the impact member and normally retain it seated upon the snpport between said guides.

1 8. A loom-picker comprising a sheet-metal casing having an elongated, flat body and uptnrned flanges thereon to form a neck and fcct, the flanges diverging at the base of the i neck, a non-metallic impact member shaped to enter between the'divergent portions of the neck flanges and the upper ends of the flanges forming the foot, and locking means to detachably engage the upper and lower ends of 'the impact member and normally retain it seated upon the casing.

Q. A loom-picker comprising a sheet-metal casing having an elongated, flat body and upturne-i flanges Vthereon to form a neck and a foot, the flanges diverging at the base of the neck, a" non-metallic impact member shaped to enter between the civergent pertions of the neck llanges and the upper ends y the flanges forming the foot, and locking devices located at the base of the neck and `upper end of the foot, respectively, to engage and hold the impact member in place, one of said devices being spring-actuated Aand adapted to be retracted manually to releasethe impact member.

l0. In a loom-picker, a sheet-metal casing having an elongated flat body adapted to rest upon and be attached to a picker-stick, upturned flanges on the body presenting a guide having divergent sides and an opposite guide having parallel sides, to receive be,- tween them and operatively position an impact member, and locking devices carried by the casing and located between the sides 0f the two guides.

11. 1n a loom-picker, a sheet-metal casing having an elongatedpflat body to rest upon the pickerestick, upturned flanges at the upper end of the body forming a laterally enlarged head, and a neck to receive and position an attaching loop, the flanges at the base of the neck diverging to form a guide, a flange upturned around the lower end of the body to form a socket having parallel sides, a longitudinally movable spring-latch in the socket adjacent its open upper end, and a coperatingl locking member between the divergent flanges forming said guide.

12. A loom-picker comprising a sheetl spring-latch to engage the other end of the metal casing having a flat body and flanged l impact member, to normally lock it upon the to present a head and a narrow, loo -engagl ing neck at its upper end and an e ongated socket at its lower end, leaving an opensided pocket between the base ol the neck and the upper end of the socket, an impact member formed of superposed and connected plies of non-metallic material to seat in the pocket, the upper and lower ends of said member being shaped to enter the base of the neck and the upper end of the socket, to position said member on the casing, and locking means to engage the upper and lower ends of the impact member and normally retain it seated in the pocket.

13. A loom-picker comprising a metallic member adapted to be secured to a pickerstick and having opposite upper and lower guides thereon, a detachable impact member transversely notched at its ends and adapted to be seated between the guides and positioned thereby, and manually released locking means on said metallic member to normally enter the notches in and retain the impact member seated.

14. A loom-picker comprising a metallic member adapted to be secured to a ickerstick and having opposite upper am lower guides fixed thereon, a detachable impact member adapted to be seated between the guides and positioned thereby, and yielding liocking means to normally engage and retain the impact member seated.

15. A loom-picker comprising a metallic supporting member adapted to be secured to a picker-stick and having opposite upper and lower guides fixed thereon, a detachable impact member adapted to be seated between the guides and positioned thereby, and locking means on the supporting member, including a device to engage one end and a metallic member.

16. A loom-picker comprising a supporting member adapted to be permanently altached to a picker-stick, an impact member composed of superposed and united plies ol' non-metallic material, means on the supporting member to laterally position the impact member thereon, and locking means on the supporting member to engage the impact member back of its lace and lock it upon the supporting member.

17. A loom-picker comprising a supporting member adapted to be permanently attached to a picker-stick, an impact member composed of superposed plies of leather conipressed and cemented together and transversely notched at its ends, positioningr means on the supporting member, and lock ing devices on the latter to enter the notches and lock the impact member in place between the positioning means, one oi said locking devices being spring-actuated.

18. A loom-picker comprising a sheetmetalmember having an elongated, llatbody widened near its upper end to form the bottom of a pocket, upright guides on the body at the upper and lower ends of the widened portion, forming therewith an open-sided body, a block-like impact member adapted to be seated in such pocket, and 1n xans on the metallic member to automatically engage and hold the impact member in the pocket when inserted therein.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specilication, in the presence ol two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS M. BOW'ES Witnesses:

GEORGE P. WILDER JOHN C. EDwAnns. 

